


Querencia

by MisfitWriter



Category: Still Star-Crossed (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, modern!AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-02 19:04:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11515530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisfitWriter/pseuds/MisfitWriter
Summary: (n.) a place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self.They began as acquaintances, brought together by the relationship their cousins shared.  It doesn't take long for them to recognize how much they have in common, and to form a bond over the understanding that they can't quite find in their loved ones.--Modern!AU snippets that started in my collection 'Dancing Along a Fine Line'.  Those posted so far will be in chronological order.  New chapters will be added on as they are written, and then moved into the correct spot in the timeline a week later (until I come up with a better way to do this lol)





	1. Feel Better, Capulet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before Camaraderie. Ben witnesses the onset of one of Rosaline's migraines for the first time, and learns a little something about the Capulet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short little snippet about the beginning of their understanding of one another!

_ Movie night at Casa Montague, Dad’s headed out for the weekend so we have the place to ourselves! Ros isn’t answering Juliet, so if you see her between classes let her know will ya? _

Benvolio grinned and typed out a quick response to his cousin.  It didn’t necessarily surprise him that his uncle hadn’t mentioned going out of town...it would give him too much to look forward to, after all...but it did little to hinder his relief coming into a full weekend of peace.  After a stressful week of classes and bartending, he was more than ready to make the most of his first weekend off work in months.

Before he could ask his cousin why he’d be the one to see Rosaline before her cousin, the object of his thoughts crossed into his line of vision.  Not far ahead of him, walking across the quad with her cellphone to her ear, the eldest Capulet wore a grim look on her face.  Benvolio watched silently for a moment before following her at enough of a distance to give her privacy.

Even with the distance, though, the shrill voice of whoever was on the other end of the line drifted back to him from time to time, and Rosaline’s apparent misery made sense.  Her caller was  _ not _ happy.  As she tried to get a word in here and there, her shoulders visibly deflated inch by inch, until finally she just dropped onto a bench with a heavy sigh.  Ben froze, unsure of what to do, and concern filled him when she pinched the bridge of her nose.  He carefully stepped closer, trying not to spook her, and felt a strange surge of protectiveness take over at the sight of a tear slipping down her cheek.

“I know, Aunt Giuliana, I’m well aware of the cost.  I’m doing the best that I can to keep up with it, but the workload this semester is just a lot more intense than it’s been before, so I can’t work as much.  I-” Fingers tightened into a fist over her knee, and Benvolio clenched his jaw.  If he interrupted, she’d be embarrassed and more than a little annoyed with him; that much he knew from personal experience.  “Okay, yes ma’am, I understand.”  Benvolio hung back as she ended the call.  She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes and took a slow breath; an exhaustion and vulnerability he’d never seen her show before seemed to weigh heavily on her shoulders.

Forcing a smile onto his face, Ben pretended as though he hadn’t heard or seen any of the exchange.  If she wanted to talk about it,  _ she _ would bring it up...and probably not to him.  “Hey, Ros!” he called, jogging over to her.  By the time he sat down, any sign of her distress was gone, a mildly annoyed, mildly amused grin plastered on her face.  Idly, he wondered if he had that same ability when it came to covering up the stress caused by his uncle.  

“Montague,” she commented.  Despite her smooth mask, Benvolio could hear the strain in her voice.  “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“My uncle is heading out of town for business this weekend, so we are kicking off celebrations with a movie night tonight.  Juliet has been trying to get a hold of you to let you know...I’m on my way to grab some snacks, do you want anything specific?”

At the mention of her cousin, Rosaline glanced down at her phone and winced.  “Must not have even noticed the notifications while I was on the phone.  I’ll give Jules a call.”  She turned her attention to Ben, and the drawn look in her eyes left him feeling guilty.  “Thanks, but I’ve got a ton of studying to do and I’m not feeling great, so I’m going to have to pass for tonight.”

He watched her silently for a moment.  “Anything I can bring you from the store before I head home?” he murmured.  Rosaline raised a surprised brow at him, and for a second the smile was sincere.  It was the most he could do...but at least for a moment he distracted her from her stress.

“No...but  _ thank you _ , Benvolio.”

“Feel better, Capulet.  Tell Jules to text me if she wants candy or something.”  She nodded silently, and he pushed himself to his feet with a wink.  Ben didn’t look back as he walked away, and tried to ignore how her breath seemed to shudder when she sighed.

_ Hey Rome, found Rosaline and let her know.  She said she’s not feeling well so she’ll catch up next time. _

_ Yeah she just told Jules she’s got a migraine...she’s kinda prone to them. _

As prone to them as her aunt is prone to yelling at her, maybe…

_ That sucks.  I’m on my way to the store.  Send me a list of what we need. _

Throughout the rest of the night, he found his thoughts drifting back to Rosaline, the bits of conversation he’d heard, and her susceptibility to migraines.  It wasn’t until Mercutio flopped across his lap, chiding him for being distracted, that he forced himself to file those thoughts away for a later time... _ like when the issue might be any of his business to worry about _ , he thought to himself with a sigh.


	2. Camaraderie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish I'd done this from the beginning, but I had zero clue just how much I would enjoy writing the gang in a modern AU setting, and it has really gotten away from me. I don't know how many chapters there will be, and they likely will not be in order when they are first posted, but I'm going to do my best to keep everything organized and labeled. Unless otherwise noted in the chapter, for now, assume that they are in chronological order. I'm also going to try to make a note with each chapter where exactly it falls in the timeline of this particular story arc. I will still be posting to the Dancing Along a Fine Line collection as the muse strikes, and I'd even like to do some more for Just Thought I'd Check In on My Beloved.
> 
> anyways...I hope you enjoy, please let me know what you think, and *please send me prompts!!*

“Words can’t express how much I need this weekend away from school,” Juliet sighed.

“Oh please, you’re just excited for a weekend to suck face with your boyfriend without hearing your mother’s complaints about his family,” Rosaline retorted with a grin.  Her cousin scoffed indignantly, and shoved at her shoulder.  “Hey!  Driving here!”

“Seriously, Jules, I for one would like to see my boyfriend again before I die,” Livia added.

“Speaking of...is Paris at Romeo’s place?”  When Rosaline glanced at her sister in the rearview mirror, she couldn’t help but smile at the excitement on Livia’s face.  It was about time her sister found someone who would treat her right.

By the time they pulled up to the house where Romeo and Benvolio lived with Romeo’s dad, even Rosaline was practically vibrating with anticipation to hit the beach.  She honked twice, and chuckled when Mercutio bounded out to meet them.  Paris wasn’t far behind, an amused grin on his face which spread when his eyes fell on Livia.

Romeo and Benvolio followed a moment later, and Juliet jumped out to throw her arms around her boyfriend’s neck.  Rosaline rolled her eyes and watched Benvolio do the same with no malice in his eyes.  

“ _ Benvolio!” _ The shout came from inside the house, and the Capulet watched as the young man in question flinched involuntarily, jaw clenching and eyes closing once he straightened again.  Rosaline’s eyes narrowed, following his retreat until the door closed behind him.  As they waited she thought back on the years she’d known him...and came to a nauseating realization: Benvolio Montague was most certainly not the type to be skittish, but she  _ had _ seen him so jumpy one other time, when Mercutio and Romeo had brought him to her bloodied and withdrawn.   _ The same man _ who’d given him those injuries had just commanded him with a single word.

A quick glance around told Rosaline that the girls were too focused on their boyfriends to notice.  Mercutio, though, had made it halfway out of the SUV before Romeo caught his arm with a solemn look.  The dark-haired man settled back into his seat, eyes shifting for a moment to the empty seat beside him as if it would make Ben magically appear.  The worry in Mercutio’s eyes left Rosaline uneasy, and she breathed the same sigh of relief as both he and Romeo did when the door opened again and Ben jogged out to the van looking no worse for wear.

“Sorry guys, he just wanted a last minute refresher of our plans.  Ready to roll, Ros.”  She nodded with a forced smile.  Juliet squealed with excitement, and Livia chuckled at her antics.  They hit the road without further ado, chattering easily amongst each other.  Once they were on the highway, Rosaline chanced a look in her rearview mirror and locked eyes with Benvolio.  She searched his face in the mirror, and understanding dawned in his eyes.  He sighed with a rueful grin, and finally looked away, and Rosaline focused her attention back on the road.  Mercutio’s low tenor reached her ears, but she could not decipher his words.

Livia engaged Rosaline and Juliet in a conversation about how they would spend the next three days, and all thoughts of her revelation were pushed aside by all parties; it did not take long for the guys to get involved in the decision-making process, and even less time for it to become a debate.  The playful bickering passed the time, and before Rosaline knew it they’d reached their destination.  She glanced in the rearview mirror as she parked, and couldn’t decipher the look in Ben’s eyes.

She took her time getting out of the vehicle while the others gathered on the sidewalk.  Romeo hooked an arm around Juliet’s shoulders and gestured for the group to head up to the Boardwalk.  Paris and Livia agreed eagerly, and Mercutio pushed at Benvolio’s shoulder playfully, clearly eager to distract him, but the Montague’s eyes turned to Rosaline.  

“You guys get the fun started... _ Mom  _ and  _ Dad _ need to talk for a minute first.”  His response surprised her; she’d expected him to play it off, to sweep it under the rug.  The  _ last _ thing she was expecting was for him to be the one to confront her about it.  Romeo and Mercutio were just as surprised, and the latter sent her a look that warned her in no uncertain terms not to abuse the trust his best friend was apparently placing in her.  Romeo glanced between the two for a moment before Juliet tugged him away, and just like that, they were alone.

Rosaline watched silently as Benvolio came around and sat back against the hood of her SUV.  He crossed his arms over his chest as if to protect himself, and she cursed the man who left him feeling vulnerable around his friends.  Resting her own hip against the hood, Rosaline faced him and intentionally kept her posture open to him.  “It was him, that night…” she murmured after a stretch of silence.  “ _ He _ was the reason you were afraid to go to the hospital.”  Ben bit the inside of his cheek, eyes fixed on the ground.  Guilt stabbed at her when Rosaline thought back on the assumptions she’d made about what he’d done to earn the beating.  “ _ Christ Almighty, _ Ben, I said such horrible things to you…”

“It’s okay, Ros-”

“ _ No _ ,” she hissed, before taking a sharp breath to calm herself.  The last thing Ben needed was to have someone else snap at him, especially when  _ he _ wasn’t the one she was mad at.  “No, Ben...it’s not.  I’ve known you for  _ years _ ...I have seen your character.  I know who you are...and yet I perpetuated a reputation facilitated by that son of a bitch.”  Ben turned sad blue eyes to her, and she felt tears pooling in her own.  “I’m so sorry.  Why didn’t you  _ correct _ me?  Mercutio certainly tried...why did you stop him?”

Arms finally relaxing, Ben ran a hand through his hair and gave her a knowing look.  Rosaline didn’t like the way it felt as though he was staring right through her...and yet could she truly be surprised?  For the first time, she was starting to see just how well they knew one another...how well they  _ understood  _ one another.  “Probably for the same reason that you don’t tell anyone that your migraines are entirely linked to your aunt.”

Rosaline gave a soft huff of bemused laughter.  “Touche.” No one had ever connected those dots before...partly because she rarely told Juliet or Livia about the encounters they were not around to see.  It was easy to say that she had no clue where her migraine came from when they didn’t know she’d been slapped around a bit while they were out at the store, or that their aunt had thrown another monkey wrench into some plan or another.  It made sense that it would take someone who hid some of his own abuse from his loved ones, to recognize her truth.  She looked up at him, gathering her courage and her wits.  “I want you to know that I am here for you, Benvolio.”  He canted his head curiously, but remained silent.  “I understand not wanting to tell your cousin or Mercutio what you’re feeling, what your uncle does on any given day...because sometimes they have no idea what you’re facing.  Their hearts are in the right place...but because you’ve done such a good job of protecting them from what you have to deal with, they can’t fully understand.  Any time you don’t feel like you can put Romeo through the grief, or talk Mercutio down from coming to your defense...if you need me, I’m there. I don’t care what time, what day, what’s going on...if you need a place to go, if you need someone to vent to, I want you to come to me.”

The vehemence in her voice surprised both of them, if the smile fighting to surface on Ben’s face was any indication.  He nodded, eyes holding hers.  “That goes both ways,” he murmured.  Rosaline smiled warmly at him, and they fell into companionable silence for a moment...which of course he had to shatter.  “Who would’ve thunk it,” he crooned, crossing his arms once more.  He rocked himself away from the SUV and came to stand in front of her.  “A Montague and a Capulet who actually  _ get _ one another.  Now...we should probably catch up with the kids before they get into too much trouble.”  He winked at her, and she could read the sincerity behind his bravado.  They’d found an understanding and camaraderie in one another...a bond that, despite the malice at it’s center, she found herself grateful for.  He gestured towards the boardwalk with his head, and grinned at her when she shook her head with a chuckle and followed.


	3. Bare Your Soul

“I’m telling you, Tybalt looked ready to slash my tires.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so pissed before.”

“Yeah, well, you  _ did _ turn him in for smoking pot in the library, ‘Cutio,” Romeo pointed out from his spot on the floor.  Benvolio chuckled at them, particularly when Mercutio threw a pillow at him from the couch and hit Juliet in the face rather than her boyfriend, who was sprawled out using her stomach as a pillow.  

“I am all for enjoying a joint, don’t get me wrong...but not within the walls of our proud university!” 

Livia snorted derisively, and Juliet rolled her eyes at him.  “Oh please, how many times have you lit up in the student center or one of the labs?  You just wanted to get my cousin in trouble and you know it! He almost got kicked out for that.”

“Oh please, like that would  _ actually  _ get one of the golden boy  _ Capulets _ expelled.  It’s not like your family owns an entire science building or anything,” Romeo pointed out.

None of the Capulet women could argue, which brought a grin to Ben’s face.  The gang had taken over their apartment, almost everyone spread out in the living room studying or working on mid-term assignments.  Even Paris had joined them, helping to test Livia on her anatomy knowledge. The only one not with them was Rosaline; she was busy making more snacks in the kitchen, having already finished her exams for the week.

As if his thoughts had conjured her, the eldest Capulet returned carrying a tray of nachos and bowl of chips and dip.  She paused at the doorway, watching them bicker with a fondly exasperated grin on her face.  Before she could turn her gaze to him, Benvolio returned his focus to the project on his lap.  

“Are you guys seriously still on about Tybalt? I’m pretty sure you all have more important things to do than gloat about fanning the flames of this  _ stupid  _ feud.”

“Sorry, Ros, but  _ nothing _ is more important than getting a leg up on the likes of a Capulet,” Mercutio teased, winking at her as her sister and cousin scoffed at him.  Ben turned his eyes back to Rosaline, and raised a brow at her when he saw that she was staring at him with pleading in her gaze.  She gestured towards the others, and he smirked.

“Okay,  _ children _ , time to get back to school work,” he commanded playfully, met with a choir of  _ “oh, come  _ on _ , Ben,”  _ and  _ “children,  _ really _ Benvolio?” _  With a glare sent to each of his friends, they finally complied with muttered complaints.  When Benvolio glanced back to Rosaline with a smug grin, she rolled her eyes but nodded to him in thanks. 

“ _ Mom _ , since we’ve been forced to study...could you bring me a drink?” Romeo requested innocently. Benvolio bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing aloud, imagining murder in her eyes.  The woman in question released a slow breath, and he finally gave in to his curiosity.  By the time he turned around, Rosaline was on her way back out of the room.  

Ben jumped up to follow her, a little voice in the back of his mind nagging him to make sure she wasn’t upset.   _ Romeo just reminded me that I’m thirsty, that’s all _ , he insisted to himself. He didn’t realize until he’d reached the kitchen that he still had his portfolio in his hand.  

“Kids need something else?” Rosaline questioned, drawing Benvolio’s attention.  The amused smirk on her face silenced the little voice in his mind, and he pushed down a swell of annoyance at his apparent unconscious concern for her wellbeing.  

“No, I need a drink of my own.  I’ll grab Romeo’s too.”

“Thanks,” she murmured.  Her eyes fell to the pad in his hand.  “What’s the project that you’re working on?” 

Ben considered showing her his work; Mercutio and Romeo were the only ones he’d shown willingly...and the only  _ other _ person to see his work had stolen and destroyed an entire book of deeply personal sketches.  Rosaline, though...something made him  _ want _ to show her all of it.  Not just his Architecture final project.  She’d recognized the dark side of his relationship with his uncle, and even more than that, she  _ understood _ in a way no one else in his life could.  In the months since that day, their relationship had seemed to evolve...where there had been a superficial distance between them, both seemed to have leaned into the support of the other anytime something went wrong at home.

“Ben?” Her voice drew him out of his thoughts, and he took a deep breath.  

“It’s...uh, it’s just my architecture project.”  He offered the portfolio to her, unable to meet her eyes.  Rosaline gently took it from his hands, and opened it slowly.  As he waited for her response, Ben kicked himself for being so nervous.  He  _ knew _ his work was good...there wasn’t really anything in his life that he’d poured more of his soul into than his artistic skill.  It was having her  _ see _ those pieces of his soul that had him itching to snatch the book back and run.

“This is stunning, Benvolio.  You’re going to be an incredible architect.”  Despite his self-confidence, her earnest compliment left him blushing furiously.   _ Just rip of the Band-Aid, Ben...just do it. _

“Thank you, Rosaline.”  Her name felt smooth in his mouth, and he had to quell the desire to say it again,  _ just because _ .  “So there’s some other work of mine in there, if you...if you want to look through them.”  As much as he wanted her to like his artwork, the insecure part of him hoped that she would either decline, or skim through them and gloss over the depth of meaning in each piece.  

Finally, his gaze turned to her face, and he knew there was no way she didn’t understand what he was offering.  Rosaline glanced between his face and his portfolio, as if she was searching for any doubt...and suddenly his reservations dissipated.  With a confident smile, Ben nodded, and watched as she began to leaf carefully...slowly...through the pages.  Emotions played across her features, and when she finally looked up from the last sketch, it was with an understanding and kindness he’d never seen directed at  _ him _ , even when she confronted him about his uncle.

“I know what it means for you to share this with me, Ben.  Thank you for that trust.”  Ros gave it back.  “I’d love to hear the stories behind some of these pieces sometime, if you’re comfortable.”  Just as Ben opened his mouth to respond, her phone rang, drawing her attention.  Distress flickered across her face for an instant.

“Your aunt,” he murmured.  She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment to steel herself to answer.  The muscles in her shoulders, back, and arms coiled, and he noticed a minor tremor as she swiped across the screen.  Ben ducked his head to catch her attention, and gestured behind them to let her know where to find him if she needed him.  Rosaline gave him a weak smile and mouthed her thanks before returning her focus to the phone.

Ben was mildly surprised to see that the others had actually returned to studying when he made it back to the living room.  Juliet glanced up when his shadow crossed her face, and immediately started looking for Rosaline.  “Phone call,” he explained as he handed Romeo a soda.  

“I mean, I was looking for something a little stronger than this...” his cousin teased.

“Uh, no.  If there’s anyone who needs to get some major studying done today, it is  _ you _ , dude.”  As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he had to resist the urge to cringe.  Mercutio snorted behind him, and Benvolio flipped him off behind his back.

“Damn, you guys are taking the whole ‘mom and dad friend’ thing a little too seriously.”  Heat rose in his cheeks, and the elder Montague knew that he couldn’t deny Romeo’s claim.  He really didn’t have any desire to deny it...he spent his life looking after his cousin and his best friend...did anyone expect that to change now that they were adults?  If anything, their shenanigans in college had brought out his protective nature even more than when they were kids.   _ Someone _ had to make sure those goofballs didn’t throw away their futures for the sake of fun and love.

“Someone’s gotta be the responsible one and keep you all in check.” 

The group settled back into their work, including Ben who put the finishing touches on his own project.  Once he finished he glanced up at the clock, and realized Rosaline had been gone for forty-five minutes.  He glanced back towards the door and then looked to Juliet.  “Ros?”

“She texted me a few minutes ago...she’s not feeling well.”

Ben nodded, smothering a frustrated sigh.  Discreetly, he drew his phone out and tapped out a quick message.   _ Migraine? _

_ Yeah, sorry to just bail. _

_ You’re not the one who should be apologizing.  Need anything? _

_ Nothing really helps at this point.  Just gotta sleep it off. Thanks Montague _

_ Sleep well, Capulet.   _

Ben dropped his phone against his chest and cursed the fact that no one else, according to Rosaline, knew that her migraines were because of her miserable aunt.  He got it, though...he knew all too well the desire to keep such a painful secret from loved ones.  Even still, he was itching to go and have a word or two with  _ Lady Capulet _ .  The last person to deserve her abuse was Rosaline.  

Curious, he lifted his phone again, and pulled up his search engine.  After a few moments Ben smiled; he might not be able to help his friend against her aunt, but maybe he could help her find some relief from the aftermath.


	4. Migraine

Rosaline Capulet fought back a moan as her stomach rolled.  She sat back on her heels for a moment, setting down her duster and pressing the her hands against her eyes.  As much as she appreciated the peace and quiet of having her sister and best friend out for the day, the fact that they would have company that evening meant, migraine or not, she’d be spending the better part of the afternoon cleaning.  Of course, the fact that she  _ had _ a migraine meant that she was moving much slower than usual.  She’d already had to rush to the bathroom once so far, and didn’t think she was far from a second trip.  With a few slow, steady breaths, she felt confident enough to finish dusting.

A knock at the door distracted her, and she called for the person to enter.  She looked up briefly, and returned to her work.  She couldn’t decide whether to be annoyed or grateful for her visitor.  “To what do I owe the pleasure, Montague?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Benvolio lean against the doorway into the living room and cross his arms.  “Everyone else is pre-gaming at the beach...and you are  _ cleaning _ .”

Lately, their banter had been surprisingly enjoyable...borderline flirting most days, but today she couldn’t bring herself to engage.  “Babysitting is  _ not _ my idea of fun on a  _ good  _ day,” she muttered.

“True,” Ben conceded with a smirk.  “And it’s pretty unfair of you to abandon me to wrangle the  _ kids _ all on my own.  You know how they get when you give them alcohol and set them loose on a crowd.  Not a good day, huh?” She refused to look at him, unwilling to admit weakness. He was silent for a moment, his gaze practically burning into her. “You have a migraine.”

Finally she looked over her shoulder to see the concern in his eyes.  Ben had made a statement, not asked a question, and she couldn’t deny that his observation - and memory that she was prone to them - kind of impressed her.   _ Kind of. _ They’d been forced to spend time together over the years because of their cousins, but ever since their conversation at the beach, their relationship had shifted. She shrugged noncommittally, and resumed her cleaning.  She felt his footsteps approaching her, and had to suppress a sigh.  He was nothing if not persistent.

“You are cleaning...with a migraine.  I remember how bad those things get for you...how are you on your feet right now?”

Rosaline breathed through a fresh wave of nausea as she thought about their evening plans.  “If I didn’t do it, Juliet and Livia would be doing it, because Jules’s mom is gracing us with her presence after the concert tonight.  They’ve...they’ve been waiting for this stupid show for months, I’m not going to let a stupid little headache deprive them of that.”

“ _ Little hea- _ are you  _ kidding _ me, Capulet?  Sit down!” She obeyed, surprised by his vehemence.  Benvolio sat on the couch next to her.  He plucked the duster from her grasp, and surprised her again by taking her hand and massaging the space between her thumb and forefinger.  The firm touch (or rather, her initial reaction to his firm touch) brought on a particularly painful throb, but it was immediately followed by a wave of relief.  By no means was the migraine gone, but it had dropped to a much more manageable level, and her nausea had passed.  Rosaline sighed in relief, and felt her entire body start to relax into the couch.  “Helping?”  All she could do was nod, and his soft chuckle was somehow warmer, more tender, than she’d ever heard from the Montague.  His deft fingers move to a point on her wrist, and Rosaline was sure this would have felt much more intimate were she not suddenly loopy with exhaustion.

\--

The Capulet didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until the moment she woke up.  It took her a minute of looking around to piece together that she was in her own bed, covered with blankets, and the sun was already down for the day.   _ Wait...no, not down _ .  Upon closer inspection, a blanket had been draped over the curtains to block out the light.  The best part of all was the fact that her migraine had died down significantly, leaving her only with a dull ache and no more nausea.  Swinging her legs over the side of the bed and sitting up were both slow steps, unwilling as she was to rekindle the brutal throbbing.  Motrin and water sat waiting on her nightstand, which she took right away.

While part of her wondered how Ben had managed to get her into bed without waking her up, she was more distracted by the fact that he’d been so quick to step into ‘caretaker’ mode once he’d figured out what was wrong with her.  A glance at her phone told Rosaline that it was nearly six...the others would be back within the hour, her aunt would be there soon after, and there’d been  _ so much work to do _ before her Montague-induced nap.  Good thing she’d woken up feeling better, so that she could-

The gentle clinking of dishes brought her internal lamenting to a halt, and she looked up to see Ben moving carefully around her kitchen, sleeves rolled up and a hand towel draped over his shoulder like he lived there.  “Ben? What are you doing?”

The Montague nearly dropped the bowl in his hands out of surprise, and winced at the clatter of it hitting the other dishes in the cabinet.  His face didn’t relax until he peeked at her face through his lashes and saw no sign of pain, and Rosaline couldn’t help an affectionate grin.  “I didn’t expect you up yet, I was planning on waking you an hour before  _ Lady Capulet _ arrives.”  She giggled at his snarky name for her aunt, and the responding smile stirred something in her chest.  “You look a lot better.”

“I  _ feel _ a lot better, thank you.  But you still haven’t answered my question.”

“After you fell asleep, I called Livia, and she agreed to be DD for the others so that I could finish the cleaning while you rested,” he murmured.  Visibly uncomfortable over her intense scrutiny, Ben turned back to the dish rack and dried a plate that Rosaline was quite confident didn’t have a drop of water on it.  She didn’t quite know what to make of this... _ kind _ ,  _ caring _ Benvolio after years of snark, sarcasm, and bickering.

“H...how did you know about those pressure point things, by the way? And using the blanket as a blackout curtain?”  She stepped into the kitchen, a small smile tugging at her lips as he blushed furiously and confirmed her suspicion.  He opened and closed his mouth several times, clearly trying to come up with an answer that didn’t give him away completely. 

Finally, when she’d hesitated just steps away from him, Ben put down the dishes and turned to face her fully.  The sincerity in his blue eyes caught her breath in her chest.  “I...did some research into what might help, after the last time you were sidelined for a couple of days from a migraine.  You’d said the meds don’t really do anything if you can’t catch it early, so...I figured it’d be good to have something else to try next time.”

If he was going to say anything else from there, the Montague was stunned into silence when she closed the distance between them and pressed a kiss to his cheek.  She remains in his space, hand on his chest and faces mere inches apart.  “Thank you, Benvolio.  I know you’d been looking forward to the concert too, no matter how much you denied it.  You didn’t have to come here and give that up for me.”

Warm hands came up to cradle her face, and Ben’s eyes flitted to her lips for a moment before returning to hold her gaze, steady and enchanting.  “I wasn’t about to abandon you to deal with all of that alone, Capulet.  You’ve spent your life looking after your sister, Juliet...even me, Romeo and Mercutio the last few years.  Without a thought for yourself, you have always made sacrifices to make sure we were cared for.  It’s about time someone took care of  _ you _ for a change, don’t you think?”  His breath was warm on her face, and his thumb traced the swell of her cheek.  Rosaline could hardly breathe.  She was sure he could feel her pulse racing under his fingertips, if the pleasant curve of his lips was anything to go by.  

It took her a beat to realize that he was drawing her closer.  He was moving carefully, slowly, giving her the opportunity to push him away if she wanted to.   _ Did she want to?  _ This was  _ Benvolio Montague _ after all...the one who found far too much enjoyment in driving her up a wall, who had quite the reputation as a ladies man (though she had to begrudgingly admit that he’d proven that wrong once she got to know him).  Granted, he was also the one who just spent three hours cleaning her house after learning what to do to make her feel better.  He was the ‘dad’ to her ‘mom’ to their friends, and had never shied away from fulfilling his part of those unofficial duties.  He was charming, funny, loyal...Rosaline was quickly realizing she had absolutely no reason to push him back any longer.

So with a giddy smile, Rosaline pushed herself up onto her toes and closed the gap herself.  Benvolio chuckled against her lips, sliding his hands into her hair easily.  Rosaline curled one hand around the back of his neck, and the other slid into the back pocket of his jeans.  

“A bit eager are we, Capulet?  Good to know you really  _ are _ feeling better.”

“Do you want to waste what little time we have left talking, or continuing with the more enjoyable activity you so rudely interrupted?”  Ben swallowed her peal of laughter, and she felt his smug grin when he turned them to press her back against the counter and the laugh became a moan.  He boxed her in easily and rocked his hips slowly against her.  Rosaline dropped her head back, allowing it to  _ thunk _ against the cabinet door behind her.  She tightened her hand over Ben’s ass, bit down on her bottom lip when he growled against her throat.  He dragged wet kisses down to her shoulder and bit down, drawing a whimper from her that should have been embarrassing.  

_ Would _ have been, had it been anyone else overwhelming her senses in that moment.  She knew that she was safe with Ben...that her heart was safe, and she didn’t quite know what to do with that.  When his hands dropped to curl around her thighs and lift her easily up onto the counter, thoughts fled from her mind and she hooked her heels around the backs of his legs.  With the new angle, Ben was free to focus his attention on her clavicle, which he tasted hungrily before moving down over her chest.  He paused for a moment over her heart, feeling how her pulse raced for him, and traced his teeth over the slope of her breast.

“Ben...God, Ben, we need to slow down,” Rosaline rasped.  He immediately drew back, eyes locked on hers as he dragged in heavy breaths.  “They’re going to be back any minute.  I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to give them  _ that _ much of a show just yet.”  She tangled her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck and pressed her forehead against his.  Every ounce of self-control she had was poured into keeping herself from dragging him into her room, and she started with dropping her feet so that her legs simply dangled over the edge of the counter.  

Benvolio attempted to step back, but she shook her head and refused to let him go.  They stood there for a moment, him between her knees and hands planted firmly on the counter, and fought to calm down.  “‘Just yet’, hmm?  Does that mean you enjoyed this?”

“Oh don’t be an ass, Montague.  Maybe that was just my way of thanking you for being the first one to manage getting rid of a migraine.”

Tenderness seeped into Ben’s expression, and Rosaline felt her heart twist.  He’d been genuinely concerned for her, was even still.  It was moments like this that reminded her of just how wrong people usually were about him...and she found that she didn’t mind if this affection was limited to a very select few people in his life, so long as she was near the top of that list.  “You know,” he drawled, leaning his head back and canting it to the side as if thinking hard on something.  “There’s something else that I’ve heard can work wonders for migraines…”

“Is that so?”

He nodded with mock seriousness.  “Oh yes...but it would also be inappropriate for the kids to see, so it will have to wait until they are off at school or something to test the theory.”  It took her a moment to understand what he was implying, and could not help the blush that heated her face and neck.  The soft touch of his thumb across her cheek made her shudder, and Ben smiled.  “Even after what we just got caught up in, I am still able to fluster you with promises of new ways to ease your pain,” he gloated.

Rosaline shook her head, pushing him away with a chuckle.  The instant he’d moved out of the space between her legs, though, she missed his warmth, and couldn’t resist the desire to yank him back to her.  

“You’re going to give me whiplash, Ros.”  She raised a challenging brow at him, pointedly ignoring the stupidly charming grin and the bright sparkle of joy in his eyes.  It didn’t take long for him to cave and kiss her, and Rosaline gave a little victorious noise in the back of her throat.  

They stayed just in that spot, keeping themselves from going too far but still lost in their embrace, without any care for time. It wasn’t until the door banged open and their friends poured into the house that the couple jumped apart, looking disheveled but entirely unapologetic about it.  Romeo was the first to notice them, and immediately started beaming.  “ _ Finally! _ ” He turned to Mercutio, who cursed bitterly and pulled out his wallet.  “Thank you kind sir, it has been a pleasure.”  Benvolio helped Rosaline off of the counter before turning to them with a questioning look.

Before the younger Montague could answer though, Livia spoke up, arms crossed over her chest.  “Oh, she’s got such a serious migraine, does she?”

No matter how much they insisted that she had, in fact, been laid out by her migraine, none of their friends truly believed them.  As they all settled into the living room, Rosaline sitting easily against Benvolio’s chest as though she’d done it a million times, the elder Capulet sister could not bring herself to care.  His fingers absentmindedly began to knead the pressure points in her hand and wrist again, and the relief it brought once more was the only indication she’d had that the pain had started to return.  She leaned her head back against his shoulder and was overwhelmed by the affection and concern in his eyes.  A simple nod answered his unspoken question, and she pressed a grateful kiss to his lips.  

“Okay, you two aren’t going to be as bad as Romeo and Juliet now, are you?”

Ben broke the kiss to gently shush the boisterous Mercutio, gesturing towards Rosaline with his head.  The dark-haired man was genuinely sheepish, and seemed to be the only one not shocked by the realization that Rosaline had, in fact, been ill.  Rosaline giggled lightly as the others gaped at them, knowing how long it  _ usually _ took her to recover, and how quickly she’d apparently come out of this one.  

“Rosaline, you should have said something this morning!” Livia hissed quietly. 

“I’m calling my mom, rescheduling for tomorrow,” Juliet added.

“No!” Rosaline insisted.  “Let’s just get it over with...I’ll just make Ben stay in case she triggers another one.” Despite the humor in her tone, Rosaline found herself nervous that he would refuse.  Giuliana Capulet was not much of a fan of the Montague family, after all...she would not blame him in the slightest if he refused.  His only response was to grin at her and press a tender kiss to the hand he was massaging.  

No matter what the evening would bring, she knew he’d be right there beside her, and it brought her a peace she’d never expected to find in the likes of Benvolio Montague.


	5. Paddling Out

“Come on, lazy bums!  We are not wasting half of the day because you wouldn’t get out of bed!”

Rosaline sipped at her coffee with an amused grin on her face, watching her boyfriend over the rim of her mug.   _ Boyfriend _ .  Even after three weeks, she couldn’t quite believe that it was real...that she was in a relationship with Benvolio Montague.  Somehow the transition from friends to lovers had been seamless.

And yet, she realized as he winked at her and disappeared down the hall to rouse their friends, maybe it shouldn’t have been a surprise.  Rosaline listened to the groans of protest from Mercutio from the living room, and Romeo and Juliet from her cousin’s room.  Livia was the only one who padded into the kitchen before Benvolio returned, clearly already up and moving before he’d called for them.  

“Morning, Liv,” she greeted warmly.  

“How are you so  _ chipper _ this morning?” Livia grumbled.  The answering grin on Rosaline’s face spoke for itself as she remembered her own - much more pleasant - wakeup call, and the younger Capulet pretended to gag.  “Ugh, nevermind, spare me the details.”  Both girls started giggling.  

“Care to let me in on the fun?” Benvolio whispered, sliding his arms around her waist from behind and settling his chin on her shoulder.  Rosaline nuzzled her cheek against his, enjoying the scratch of his beard against her skin.  His fingers played with the hem of her tank top and left her wishing that they were still tangled up in her bed.

“Seems like you two are having plenty of your own fun this morning,” Mercutio teased lightly, pouring coffee for himself and Livia who accepted her mug with a grateful kiss to his cheek.  “No Paris today, Ollie?”

“The fact that you gave me coffee is the only reason I’m not smacking you right now...you  _ know _ how much I hate it when you call me that!  And no, Paris couldn’t get out of some family business stuff today.”

“That sucks, sorry Livia,” Juliet commented.  She and Romeo joined the others in the kitchen, Romeo snatching the mug from Mercutio’s hand with a smirk and Juliet pouring herself a fresh mug.  Rosaline watched her friends slowly come alive as their coffee kicked in.  Mercutio started making mass quantities of eggs and bacon, shooing the other late risers to get showers.  Ben pressed a tender kiss to her temple before joining his best friend.  

“Scoot over, let me help.”  The mop of curly black hair flopped over Mercutio’s forehead when he glanced over, complying without hesitation.  Ben took over preparing the bacon as Mercutio finished the eggs, and Rosaline looked on with an affectionate grin.  They worked around one another effortlessly, a reflection of the depth of their relationship.  Mercutio hip-checked Ben hard, chuckling when the latter snapped a hand out to catch the former’s waist to keep himself upright.  Rosaline shook her head at their antics; Ben’s reaction was practically reflex, so clearly this was something of  _ theirs _ that she’d been allowed to share in.  

She soaked in anything she could of these moments, the glimpses into the hearts of Benvolio and those he loved most.  For too long she’d not paid attention to them, too caught up in her disdain for their family to see the unconditional love and devotion they shared.  She  _ knew _ it existed, of course...had heard as much from Juliet when she first met Romeo.  But now, she got to witness that loyalty in action every day, and it comforted her to know that he had never been alone.  

“If my bacon gets burnt, Mercutio, I am holding you entirely responsible...and you do  _ not _ want to be responsible for burning my bacon.”  Benvolio flashed her a charming smile before resuming his duties.  Mercutio raised a challenging brow, and for an instant Rosaline was unsure if she’d overstepped the boundaries of her somewhat new relationship with her boyfriend’s best friend.  

He silenced her worry, though, with a chuckle and a wink before turning back to Ben.  “It’s about time you found yourself someone who appreciates bacon as much as you do,” he teased.

“ _ And _ someone who’s not afraid to put  _ you _ in your place when necessary.  Huge bonus, there,” Benvolio retorted. __ Drawn by the heavenly scent of crispy meat Rosaline finally stood to join the boys at the stove.  With a sidelong glance at her, Ben lifted a perfectly-cooked strip of bacon from the skillet and offered it to her.  Rosaline took it gleefully, and immediately tore it in half and held it out for him to take.  He bit into the meat with a hum of appreciation, and then kissed her cheek.

“Oi! There’d better be some left for the rest of us! Don’t think I didn’t see that, Ros!” They glanced back to the doorway to see Romeo, clad only in swim trunks, watching them with accusing eyes.

“Cook’s treat!” Ben insisted.  “There’s plenty anyways, sit down and finish your coffee, it’s not quite ready yet.”  His cousin complied with a grumble, which earned him a strange look when Juliet joined them.  By the time Livia made it out, Mercutio and Ben were ready to serve the meal.  

“Remind me again where we are going?” Mercutio asked once everyone was settled and eating.

“Verona Lake.  It’s got a bunch of streams that you can explore by paddle boards...I figured it would be a good way for everyone to unwind now that finals are done. A day out on the water, close enough to home to be back in time to order pizza and wings for dinner.”  The group mumbled their approval around mouthfuls of food.  

It didn’t take them long to finish up and get loaded up into Rosaline’s SUV, Benvolio at the wheel.  Their fingers tangled together, resting over the gear shifter.  His thumb idly traced over the back of her hand, and she smiled affectionately at him before turning her attention to the back of the vehicle.  Juliet, Mercutio and Romeo were singing along to the latest Bruno Mars, and Livia was recording them on her phone.  Her sister turned the camera towards the front, and Rosaline blew a kiss.

By the time they made it to the lake, the video was uploaded to Instagram and Facebook, and Rosaline’s phone was pinging with notifications every few seconds.  She finally glanced through them while they waited to rent the paddleboards, and rolled her eyes.  “Seriously?  You guys are standing right next to each other.”

“Paris isn’t here,” Livia pointed out with a pout.  Rosaline re-read the comments, and couldn’t help a smile.  The first thing he’d noticed was the lack of his girlfriend in the video, and he’d insisted that they make sure she wasn’t the only one behind the camera during their adventures.

“Okay, I think this one might be a keeper, Liv.”  Ben read through the interaction over her shoulder; his smirk was his own unspoken stamp of approval.  Livia beamed at both of them, and Benvolio swiped a hand out to ruffle her hair affectionately.  The youngest Capulet ducked under his reach, only to shove at his shoulder and dart after the others, now further ahead in the line.  Rosaline chuckled warmly as she looped her arm through Benvolio’s and tugged him to catch up.

Once they were out on the water, the boys got caught up in a battle of  _ who can knock who off their board first _ .  The girls stayed back at a safe distance, providing commentary and struggling to keep their balance when they would start to laugh so hard they couldn’t stay upright.  Juliet’s laughter cut off abruptly when she realized Romeo had honed in on her.  Despite her attempts to flee, the younger Montague latched onto her paddle and yanked her off-balance before she could let it go.  Rosaline giggled until a hand wrapped around her ankle.

“Shouldn’t let your guard down, Capulet...bound to get you in trouble.”  She looked under her arm to see mischievous blue eyes sparkling up at her.  His free hand was braced against her board, and she knew it would only take the slightest movement to send her into the water.

“Do it, and I’ll make you regret it, Montague.”

The second the words crossed her lips, she knew they were the exact  _ wrong _ ones to keep her dry.  Benvolio’s eyes darkened, taking on a dangerous gleam, and his fingers tightened for an instant.  “Is that supposed to be a threat, or a  _ promise _ ?”  Rosaline yelped as her world tilted, and sucked in a deep breath just before colliding with the surface of the water.  Ben tugged her ankle, wrapping her leg around his waist and only letting her go when she took his lead and hooked her other leg around him as well.  She felt his strong legs kicking and pulled herself upright with a hand on his shoulder, finally breaking the surface once more.  “Hey,” he breathed, face inches from hers.  Strong arms framed her, his hands keeping a firm hold of her board.  Rosaline settled her elbows alongside his hands, giving her some more leverage, but she did not release his waist.

“Don’t you  _ hey _ me, mister.  I told you, I’m going to make you regret that.”  She couldn’t say why she was whispering, but she knew her threat was falling utterly flat.  Try as she might, he’d already twisted her words into a tantalizing promise, and she knew it would be useless to try to play it off as anything else.  

“And I’m counting the hours until you do, love.”  She couldn’t smother a grin at his retort, and attempted to cover it up by pressing her lips to his in a wet kiss.  He hummed contentedly against her, and she eased her arms back off of the board so that she could wrap them around his neck.  Her tongue dragged pressed against his lips, which had just parted for her when a shock of cold water left them sputtering and scrambling for the board that was now drifting away.  Benvolio wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her above water until she unhooked her legs and turned herself around in his grasp.  

Mercutio and Livia were perched on their respective boards, the former with a wicked grin and his paddle raised, giving away that he’d just slapped a minor wave of water in their direction.  “If you’re quite finished, the rest of us are going to get to that exploring you promised.  Get on with it, will you?” 

“Don’t mind ‘Cutio,” Romeo called from further across the lake. “He’s just mad that the guy he tried flirting with ignored him.” Rosaline rolled her eyes at them, but lifted herself back onto her board nonetheless.  Benvolio watched her with a hungry stare, but she shoved him towards his own board with a wink.  Once he finally turned away from her, she pushed to her feet and turned to watch Ben haul himself up, shamelessly appreciating how the water glistened on his toned body.  

“You’ve got a bit of drool, just there,” Juliet teased from beside her.  Rosaline raised a brow at her before gesturing towards Romeo.

“And you have no room to judge, Jules.  I’m not going to apologize for appreciating a pretty view once in awhile.”  Her cousin giggled, unable to argue, and took a moment to  _ appreciate _ her own boyfriend.  Romeo caught her staring, and immediately began flexing his arms dramatically. While he was distracted, Benvolio paddled up behind him quietly and nudged his cousin’s shoulder with the blade of his paddle.  The wounded look on Romeo’s face as he fell was priceless.  “You should probably watch your back around him now, Montague...he did  _ not _ look happy.”

“I guess we’d better get on with our exploring!” Ben was quick to paddle out of his cousin’s reach, heading for the nearest inlet to explore.  Livia followed with an amused smile, and their cousins followed suit - Romeo with particular enthusiasm to catch up and get his revenge.  Rosaline hung back for a moment, watching her closest friends and family laugh and tease and play, and was overwhelmed with joy.  For so long, she’d wished desperately for her family to be ‘normal’, to be able to feel the love and support she remembered from her parents before they were ripped away.  She wished for a  _ home _ , a safe place to land no matter what chaos was going on around her...and she’d found it.  Unconventional as it might be, frowned-upon by her aunt and uncle as it might be, her  _ home _ was this mess of people who understood and adored one another in spite of everything...it was the security of being wrapped in Ben’s arms, knowing that she could handle anything that came up with his support.

A light tap against her board drew Rosaline from her thoughts, and she looked over to see Mercutio watching her with an uncharacteristically warm smile on his face.  “I wanted to thank you,” he stated.  Rosaline gaped at him for a moment, eyes searching his face for any sign that he was screwing with her.

“F-for what?”

Mercutio chuckled and turned his eyes to Benvolio.  “I’ve known Ben for a long time...and I’ve never seen him as...at peace as he is now.  He...he’s always been good at putting on a brave face, but he always reminded me of a duck.”

“ _ Duck? _ ” 

“Calm on the surface, but kicking like crazy to stay afloat under the surface.  Ben...Ben always felt the need to protect us from what his uncle did.  He never admitted it, but I know that he did.”  He looked back over at her, and she felt the weight of his words settle onto her shoulders.  “Ever since you figured out what was going on though...he’s just... _ settled _ .  He’s not kicking so frantically anymore.  And since you two got together?” He shook his head with a grin.  “It’s not a front anymore.  It’s like he’s lost this huge burden that Rome and I were never able to help him carry.  I don’t know what it is, why he’s different with you...I just know I’m grateful that you’re in his life.”

Without waiting for her reaction, Mercutio sent her a wink and paddled away, shouting after the others as though he hadn’t just been more serious than she’d ever seen him.  For a moment she remained still, stunned by his admission.  It wasn’t until her name echoed across the water that she was able to shake herself from her thoughts.  Ben waved her over, a hint of concern in his features as she caught up.

“Everything okay? You guys looked like you were having a pretty heavy conversation…”

Rosaline nodded with a tender smile.  “Everything’s perfect...I think we’ve come to a new understanding.”

“Is that so?”  

“Mhm,” she hummed softly, hooking the blade of her paddle into the bungee cord at the front of his board.  Ben chuckled when she pulled their boards together, balancing easily as they rocked.  Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she willed herself to voice what was on her mind.  She needed to get it off her chest...he  _ deserved _ to hear it.  “He’s always been wary of me when it comes to you...but it seems like we turned a major corner today.  Bonding over someone that you both love tends to help with that.”

Benvolio stilled, and Rosaline worried that she’d crossed a line that he wasn’t ready to cross.  Tears of humiliation burned in her eyes, and she cleared her throat to give herself time to will them away.  “Ros…”

“We uh...we should probably catch up with the others…”

“Capulet,” Ben pressed, reaching for her paddle.  She couldn’t bear to look at him, didn’t want to see the depth of her screwup in his beautiful blue eyes. He managed to snag the end of her paddle, careful not to pull her off-balance as he tried to catch her attention.

“They’re going to get annoyed at us-”

“ _ Rosaline! _ ” Both his tone and the fact that he’d used her full name finally broke through her panic, and she looked up to see an exasperated smile on Ben’s face.  “I told them to go ahead and we’d catch up.”

“I’m sorry, I..I know it was too soon,” she whispered.  Fingers grazed her waist, bringing her fears to a grinding halt.  He held her in place, leaning in as far as he could without tipping over.

“We’ve known each other for years...you know parts of me that even Romeo and Mercutio don’t.  We may have only started  _ dating _ a few weeks ago, but you’ve been one of my best friends much longer than that.  Come here,” he murmured.  She bit her lip a sigh, and met him halfway for a tender kiss.  Ben pulled away to press his forehead to hers.  “I love you too, Ros.”


	6. Tell Me About Your History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I have always kinda loved the idea that Ben and Mercutio were a thing before the events of R&J/SSC. I've kinda sorta hinted at it in this au, and in other one-shots set in the canon universe, but this chapter is more of a direct look into that. Hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think.

“Will you tell me about your history with Mercutio?” The question, innocuous as it sounded, had panic rising in Benvolio’s chest. He looked up from his sketchbook to see her watching him, face open and eyes curious.

“ _ What? _ ” When his question came out a good  _ octave _ higher than he intended, Ben cleared his throat with a flush of embarrassment.

“Anyone with eyes can see that your relationship is deeper than just friendship...there was definitely something, wasn’t there?”  He couldn’t help but be amazed by how well she could read him, and how nonchalantly she was revealing that she knew he was bisexual.  It was something he’d been afraid of addressing, unsure of how she’d respond. “I don’t think Jules or Liv know about it, and your secret is safe as long as you want it to stay secret.” 

He grinned, and shook his head.  It shouldn’t have been a surprise that she’d be so accepting...he  _ knew _ her heart, how kind and open she was.  She canted her head in silent question, and he could only drop his sketchbook, cross the living room, and capture her lips in a sweet kiss.  When he pulled back Rosaline grinned affectionately, caressing his face. 

“It’s not that we actively try to keep it a secret, really, we just don’t really talk about it.”  He sighed and worked up the courage to tell her about it.  “When we were young, it was taboo to even breathe the word homosexual.  The idea that someone could be  _ bi _ sexual was absolutely unheard of...especially in my uncle’s house.  My parents died when I was young...and when he took me in, we were raised to be the ideal young gentlemen.  So the thought that my crushes on both boys and girls meant anything never even crossed my mind.  Even once I got older; if you haven’t noticed, I can be somewhat of an incessant flirt.” Rosaline snorted, which made him smirk.  “It doesn’t matter who or what someone is, I’ve always tended to be openly affectionate with people.  It wasn’t until I met Mercutio that someone made me stop and think about it.” 

* * *

_ “You’re not a freak, you know,” Mercutio commented seriously, attention fixed on the tray in front of him.  Ben raised a questioning brow, waiting for his friend to look up.  “I know your asshole of an uncle has you literally scared straight...but the fact that you like girls  _ and  _ guys doesn’t make you a freak.”   _

_ “Wh...what?!” Ben hissed, glancing around to make sure no one was listening to them.  “‘Cutio, what the hell man? I have no clue what you’re talking about!” _

_ Finally Mercutio looked up, a lazy smirk on his face.  “Oh whatever, Ben...I know you better than anyone, and you wear your emotions on your sleeve.  Besides...I know what it looks like when you’re trying to deny your attraction even to yourself.  I did it for years!”  He reached across the cafeteria table and squeezed Ben’s bicep.  “No matter what your uncle might say or do out of his ignorant, bigoted prejudice, believe me when I say that the worst violence that we face is what we do to ourselves when we’re too afraid to be who we really are.  You deserve better than that, Benvolio.” _

* * *

Benvolio took a steadying breath, and Rosaline laced their fingers together.  In her face he saw only love, laced with a hint of sadness.  Even still he had to remind himself that his upbringing with Damiano Montague had been less than healthy.  Benvolio’s gaze dropped to their joined hands.

“He was the first person to tell me that it was okay to be exactly who I was...to love who I am and not try to hide out of fear.  It took a long time for me to be comfortable with the idea, but once we got to college, and I got a little bit farther from my uncle’s control, we started dating.”

* * *

 

_ “M-Mercutio?” Ben internally cursed the shakiness of his voice, and ignored Romeo’s dramatically narrowed eyes watching him.  His cousin knew this was coming, and Ben could kick him for being an ass about his nerves.  His best friend shoved at Romeo and then turned and gave him that ridiculously charming and disarming grin...and suddenly his doubt was gone.  “You remember that deal we made last year?” _

_ If possible Mercutio’s smile grew even wider.  “I can’t say that I do, Ben...you might need to refresh my memory.”  Bastard. Two can play at that game. _

_ With a dismissive wave of his hand and a smirk, Ben turned and headed back for the kitchen. “You’re right, wasn’t worth remembering.  I’m getting another drink.”  Romeo’s howl of laughter followed him out of the living room.  A second later, hurried footfalls followed and Ben bit his bottom lip to smother any noise of triumph. _

_ Mercutio’s presence was suddenly at his back, and Benvolio found himself wondering what had taken him so long to work up his courage.  His attempt at continuing the aloof facade failed quickly when strong hands turned him around and Benvolio was crowded against the counter.  He leaned his head back just enough to get a good view of Mercutio’s face, and smirked. _

_ “So you  _ do _ remember the deal that we made last year.” _

_ “That you were going to tell me when you were ready for me to prove myself right?” _

_ “Mmm,” he hummed, smirk morphing into a genuine smile when his best friend’s face lit up with joy.   _

_ “It’s about damn time, Montague.”  Benvolio’s carefree laughter was silenced as Mercutio kissed him with more than a year’s worth of pent up emotion and, indeed, proved himself right. _

* * *

“He taught me so much about healthy love, give and take...but I think we both knew from the start that it wasn’t meant to be forever.”  He looked back up to study her face as he continued.  “We all have that one person who is meant to come into our lives to teach us who we are...and Mercutio was that for me.  I don’t know that there was one thing in particular that told us it was time to end it...but I remember feeling so utterly terrified that it would tear him away from me forever...If anything, it brought us closer.”  

“I cannot imagine Mercutio ever walking away from you,” Rosaline commented with a fond grin.  Knowing, in hindsight, that her observation had been true even then, Ben chuckled.  His smile fell, though, as memories of his best friend’s first interactions with Rosaline played in his mind.

“I’m sorry that he was... _ overbearing _ at first,” he murmured, guilt welling up in his chest.

“No...it spoke volumes to me that he was so protective of you.  Bad people don’t garner that type of fierce loyalty.”  Her hand came up to stroke his jaw once more, and Benvolio couldn’t resist the urge to press a kiss to her palm.  “It makes me feel good to know you’ve had people who truly love you and see you for the gift that you are for most of your life.  And anyway, now that we’ve come to an understanding, he’s been nothing but wonderful to me.”

“I think after facing his helplessness when it comes to my uncle, he made it his job to make sure that he never let anyone else get past him without knowing that they have good intentions.  Even still, it kills him that he can’t protect me against Damiano, and sometimes that translates into overkill with other people.”  

“He’s a good guy,” Rosaline murmured.  “He’d be crazy  _ not _ to love you, but I’m glad that he stuck around after you split up.  You deserve to be surrounded by love, Benvolio Montague, and I’m grateful for our little band of misfits to remind you of that every day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not 100% content with the ending, might tweak it later when I get some sleep, but I had fun writing this one. Please leave a comment with your thoughts!


	7. Sugar Water, Grape Juice, Same Difference.

“Okay, Juliet and Livia, you’re on freezer section and produce, boys, you’ve got cleaning supplies, I’ll grab the booze and dry goods. Got it?”

Rosaline grinned when she was met with a chorus of sarcastic  _ ‘yes, mom’ _ s, until Mercutio split away from the others to block her path.  “Oh no, you are not going to be the only one responsible for choosing the alcohol, Cap.  Don’t think I forgot that sugar water crap you picked up last time.” 

“It is not  _ sugar water _ , it’s called  _ moscato _ and-”

“Okay, forgive me, it’s grape juice. Same difference. Either way, I’m coming with you to get some  _ real  _ alcohol for the men.”  Rosaline opened her mouth to retort, but Mercutio was already off for the liquor aisle, leaving her to glare in his wake.  Benvolio chuckled at her, and winked when she turned her gaze to him.  Before her wrath could redirect to him as well, he was gone, jogging after Romeo.  With a growl, Rosaline stalked after Mercutio.  

She couldn’t help the warmth that spread in her chest when she finally caught up to her boyfriend’s best friend.  He stood with a basket hanging from his elbow, a bottle of her favorite moscato peeking out over the top, and was comparing two different bottles of whiskey.  She sidled up next to him with an inquisitive look at his options, and didn’t miss the smirk fighting to curl his lips.  

“R-Rosaline?”

The familiar voice made the woman in question tense, and Mercutio turned his head to gauge her expression.  At her weak smile he raised a brow, and rather than responding she simply turned to face the newcomer.  “Escalus.”  Memories of a brief but intense relationship flashed in her mind, and she shook herself to clear them away.

“You look great, Rose.  How are you?”  It took everything in her not to cringe at his nickname.

“I’m fine, thank you for asking...and you?”

Exasperation filled her ex-boyfriend’s eyes.  “Must we be so formal?  We used to be-”

“I  _ know _ what we used to be.  I remember it well.  It’s taken me some time to  _ let go _ of what we used to be,” she murmured.

Suddenly he was in her space, and Rosaline straightened in surprise.  “Maybe this is the time that we try again,” he suggested.  “I’ll do right by you this time...what do you say?  Will you let me take you to dinner?”

With a disbelieving huff, she stepped back.  “No. We had our shot, and like I said, I’ve moved on.  It was good to see you, Escalus, but I have to go.”

“Rose,  _ wait _ ,” he pleaded, hand snapping out to grip her wrist tightly.  Rosaline hissed against the painful hold, and suddenly her view of her ex was blocked by the broad shoulders of Mercutio.  She knew from personal experience how intimidating he could be when he wanted, and if the speed with which Escalus released her was any indication, Mercutio was employing every ounce of his bravado.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt her! Rose!”  Escalus tried to look around her friend with pleading eyes.

“She gave you her answer.  You aren’t owed anything more, so I suggest you walk away.”  The intensity in his voice stunned Rosaline; the last time she’d heard such protectiveness, it had been over Ben and directed at  _ her _ .  Oh, how far they’d come from those days.  She stepped up beside him, and Escalus glanced between them with narrowed eyes.  

“Is this your boyfriend?”  

Rosaline gaped at him for a moment.  “Escalus, I-”

Arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind, and the comforting, endearing,  _ safe _ presence of Benvolio at her back overwhelmed all of her senses.  She curled her hands around his forearms and rested her chin atop her fingers with a contented smile.  Ben’s lips settled against the shell of her ear, and she couldn’t help a shiver when he spoke.  “The kids are just about done with your list, babe.  Are you and ‘Cutio quite finished bickering over the booze?”

The soft clearing of a throat brought the couple back to the moment, and Mercutio was smirking over at them.  Rosaline couldn’t bring herself to be embarrassed.  Ben’s arms tensed around her for a second, and she realized that he hadn’t noticed the other party present. “Sorry...Escalus, this is Mercutio, and this,” she patted the arms still draped across her clavicle, “is my boyfriend Ben.”  Escalus looked between Rosaline and Ben’s faces, jaw clenching and lips twitching towards a frown.  None of the men spoke for a long moment, and Rosaline couldn’t help but wonder if there were about to come to blows in the middle of the supermarket.

“It looks as though you have more than enough to keep you occupied, Rose.  Excuse me.”  

Rosaline kept a firm grip on Ben when he tried to pull away, and watched Mercutio carefully until Escalus was out of sight.  “He is not even  _ remotely _ worth ruining our night.  Certainly not worth your  _ jealousy _ .”  She finally let her boyfriend go and turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest.  Neither he nor Mercutio looked apologetic, and the latter matched her stance.

“I don’t know if jealousy would be the right word.  We may not have been particularly fond of you at the time, Cap, but Romeo told us all about what happened between the two of you.  He could use a reminder of what it means to be a man.”

A glance to Benvolio told her that he agreed with his best friend’s statement.  Tears stung her eyes; it still felt somewhat strange to have someone want to defend her honor.  She was still adjusting to having someone other than Livia and Juliet genuinely care for her wellbeing, and here she had garnered the love of not only Benvolio, but those most important to him as well.  

Forcing a bright grin, she drew away from her boyfriend, lifted herself up onto her toes to plant a kiss on Mercutio’s cheek, and pranced away to find the others.  Rosaline glanced over her shoulder just before she turned a corner to see Benvolio grinning at his best friend with a quirked brow.

It didn’t take her long to find Livia, Juliet and Romeo.  Benvolio was not far behind, and she had to bite her lip to smother a yelp when he caught her around the waist and tugged her back against his chest.  “Now how is it fair that Mercutio gets a kiss and I don’t?”

Livia and Juliet fall abruptly silent at the question, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.  Just as she took a breath to reply, he buried his face in her neck and dragged his stubble back and forth until she squealed.  No matter how she squirmed, he held fast, tickling her relentlessly and grinning against her skin at her unrestrained giggles.  “Yield,” he breathed.

“Never!” she gasped, continuing to twist against his hold.  Ben redoubled his efforts, this time playing his fingers along her sides, arms tightening to keep her upright when she started to double over.  Her cheeks ached and she felt lightheaded with her laughter.

_ “Yield _ , Capulet.”  This time, he followed his command by dragging his teeth along her earlobe, leaving her weak in the knees for an entirely different reason.  

“Damn you, Montague.” Finally giving in, she turned herself in his arms and granted him the kiss he’d been seeking.  His victorious smirk against her lips was almost endearing, and the languid pass of his tongue across her bottom lip erased all memory of Escalus from her thoughts.

“Jeez, can’t you to wait the  _ five minutes _ til we can pay for our stuff and get out of here?” Romeo groaned.  Benvolio was suddenly moving from her, and Rosaline opened her eyes to see her cousin’s fiance dragging him backwards with an affectionately exasperated look.  

“Told you, they’re worse than you and Jules.”  Benvolio shoved at Mercutio, and the group finally made their way to the cashier.  Rosaline hung back for a moment, watching the people she loved most teasing and laughing together.  Benvolio noticed her absence, paused, and reached out for her with a questioning look.  Immediately she tucked herself into his side, and sighed happily when he pressed a loving kiss to her temple.


	8. Testing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Adult Content* Set before Sugar Water. Benvolio and Rosaline take advantage of some alone time.

Warm water cascaded around Rosaline as she leaned back into the spray of the shower. It had been a long day, and she looked forward to relaxing with her boyfriend once he finished with his errands; the two of them had the house to themselves for the first time since they’d all moved in together, and she would be taking full advantage of it.  

“Ros, I’m home!”  Even as he spoke, Benvolio’s footsteps echoed down the hall towards the bathroom, and his shadow fell across the shower curtain as he came into the open doorway.  “Where is everyone?”

“Dates, work, and class.  Figured we could take advantage of finally having the house to ourselves.  I’ll be done in a minute.”  Ben didn’t respond, but she knew what was coming as the sound of rustling clothes reached her ear.  “Ben _ volio _ ,” Rosaline warned as she fought to keep the smile from her face.  The shower curtain was drawn aside, and his presence was warm at her back.  

“Why not start  _ taking advantage  _ now?” he breathed into her ear, his smirk brushing against the helix when she shuddered.  A hand curled around her stomach and drew her back against his chest.  Rosaline sighed, melting into his firm body; the callouses that littered his fingers scratched pleasantly along her skin and stoked warmth in her belly.

“Because that was not the  _ plan _ !” She insisted.  The scruff of his beard tickled her skin as Benvolio tucked his chin over her collarbone.  

“Would this detour really be so bad?” A shiver raced down Rosaline’s spine, and she gasped lightly when his tongue captured a water droplet along the column of her throat.  “Hmmm?” The vibration of his hum, igniting the nerves along her skin from her neck to her core, broke down the last of Rosaline’s resistance, and she reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair.

With a triumphant smirk, Ben dragged his teeth along her shoulder as one hand massaged her abdomen while the other slid around her body to cup her breast.  She could feel his excitement grow against the small of her back, and her pulse started racing.  Rosaline sighed, allowing the pelting water to heighten her senses until his touch felt like fire.  Two fingers tweaked her nipple, and she allowed her weight to fall against him.  His chuckle reverberated in her chest, and she had to cling to his arm when his lips closed around her earlobe.

Knowing she needed to reclaim some control Rosaline tipped her head away from him, shuddering when he caught the edge of her ear with his teeth.  She tightened her hold on his right hand with her left, and twisted herself in his arms to settle his hand on her ass.  Ben stared down at her for a moment, hand steady and eyes heated.  As soon as she moved, though, he snuck his other arm around her back and spun her around.  Rosaline yelped, and giggled when her back connected with the shower wall.  Ben planted a hand beside her ear, and the other came to rest on her hip.  Any lingering worries, stress...thoughts in general fled her mind when he pressed his pelvis against her.  Even though this was far from their first time being intimate, the weight of his stare overwhelmed her, and the weight of his body against her made her feel inexplicably steady.

“You are...so lucky that you are charming…” Her thought trailed off into a whimper when he smirked wickedly and trailed kisses along her jaw.

“Charming, hmm?” He whispered the words into her skin, the heat of his breath throwing into sharp contrast the cooling temperature of the water.

It took all of her willpower to push him back, and immediately she missed his presence surrounding her.  The whine he gave made her giggle.  “Not charming enough, though... _ this _ was why it was not part of the plan, Montague.  I’m not quite finished with my shower, and now I have to finish it  _ cold _ .”

“Well then allow me to help you, keep you warm in the process.”  He reached behind her for the washcloth, lathered it with soap, and took her hand in his own.  Benvolio pressed an exaggerated kiss to her knuckles, before massaging up her arm with the cloth.  From there he moved to her neck, and Rosaline didn’t resist the urge to moan.  

The comfort stimulated by his touch brought about a surprising revelation: she hadn’t had a migraine since they’d moved into their new place.  “Huh,” she breathed with a smile.  Benvolio watched her silently, hands now working along her chest and abdomen.  “I find it amazing that removing my aunt’s control is what finally got rid of my migraines.”

Ben’s hand stilled just over her navel.  “Is that so?”

“Considering they stopped when we moved out of the house  _ she _ paid for?”

“ _ Nothing _ else played a part?” Rosaline’s eyes fluttered when his hand slipped between her legs.  “Are you sure about that, love?”  His fingers slid past the washcloth, and Rosaline had to bite down on her lip to smother a whimper.  His free hand reached up to drag across her lip, freeing it from her teeth.

“It’s a shame we didn’t have any more opportunities to...test your theory,” she breathed, eyes locking with his as he finished his work of helping her wash.  “I was  _ so _ looking forward to that research.”  He growled, and she giggled.  Foregoing a towel, Benvolio swept her off her feet and, ignoring her squeal of protest, hauled her from the bathroom and into their bedroom.  He unceremoniously dropped her onto their bed.

Rosaline watched him with a bemused look, heat pooling in her belly once more as his eyes raked over her body.  “I guess we’ll just have to settle for practicing, then.”  Her laughter became a moan when he settled himself over her and his mouth closed over her breast.  

“God, Ben…” The roll of his body against hers left her breathless, and she reached down to pull his hips flush against her own.  “This is changing up my plans, by the way...this-” Ben nipped at the skin below her breasts lightly, interrupting her thoughts for a moment.  Rosaline reached down and grabbed him by the chin to drag him up for a heated kiss.  “This was supposed to be saved for the hot tub.”

“Is that so?” Stubble tickled her cheek as he pressed kisses along her jaw.  “I mean...there is still plenty of time left in the evening...why does it have to be  _ instead _ of the hot tub?” As he spoke, eyes boring into hers, Ben’s hand reached down to tuck around her knee, draw it up around his hip, and poise himself at her entrance.  Rosaline raised a challenging brow at him, which he met in kind.  Ben pressed into her slowly, watching the microscopic changes in her face as she fought to maintain her composure.  Not until he reached between them to tease her clit did she falter, hissing through her teeth and dropping her head back onto the bed. 

“Cheater,” she growled.  Benvolio laughed heartily, dropping his forehead to hers and settling himself fully inside her.  Rosaline sighed, features melting into contentment before his eyes.  

“You don’t seem to be complaining, Capulet.” With a slow inhale, Ben began to move. This time, she allowed him to see each of her emotions.  The quirk of a smile as he whispered teasing words, the bite of her lip as he stroked into her, the hitch of her breath as he pressed his thumb against the bundle of nerves at her apex...the keening whine as she reached her peak.  The undercurrent of love in the moments when her eyes flickered open to lock with his. She reached out for his hand, tangled their fingers together, and sought his kiss as she drew out his own orgasm.  

As he came down, Rosaline carded her fingers through his hair and cradled his head against her chest.  Ben pressed his lips over her heart, breath warm over her sensitive skin.  In his arms, all was right in her world.  Even with Escalus, she’d never been so grounded...and never had she been so respected and adored.  “I love you so much I can barely breathe sometimes,” she murmured, eyes fixed on the ceiling. 

“That could also be due to the fact that I’m laying on top of you,” Ben teased lightly.  Rosaline scoffed and tugged at his hair until he gazed up at her.  “I can appreciate the sentiment.”  Propping himself up on his elbows, Ben trailed gentle kisses up her neck until he reached her lips.  “I’m still waiting to wake up to all of this being a dream.”  Rosaline shook her head with a loving smile, and whispered promises with each brush of her lips against his.  


End file.
